Penn High School - Pennerian Yearbook (Greenville, PA)

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I2 Tjfiis weary - 542236057507 ln the days when school meant readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmeticfl the lot where Penn High now stands was only swamp land which included a little pond. School, at that time, was conducted in a small frame building situated on a knoll where Central Park is located. It is said that in the winter time, the children who attended the little school house would slide down the hill and cross the road to skate on the pond. The land where the school house stood and the land where Penn High now stands was donated to Greenville in 1862 by Ioseph Keck, one of the earliest settlers in this community. The little school house met the educational needs of the town for many years, but as the community grew, there came a need for a larger building. When Maiii Street was graded, the knoll was removed, and the pond and surrounding depression were filled in. By 1867, the Union School stood near where the little pond had once been. This building was three stories high and was large enough to accommodate three classes of high school and nine grades. The school term varied from six to eight months depending on weather conditions and enrollment. ln 1880, under Superintendent Bullock, the curriculum was revised and, in the fall, regular grades were established. It was decided that on the completion of the course, the board would give a diploma. Thus it was that in 1883, diplomas were granted to the members of the first graduating class. On August 25, 1892, after the construction of both the Columbia and West Side Schools, the Union School became known as the Central School. For almost Hfty years the Central School served the commun- ity as a high school and as a grade school. During the half century that it stood, many changes took place in Greenvillels educational system. By 1900, the set-up included four high school grades and eight grammar grades. On Mercer Street a new high school was built in 1903. In the fall of 1908, Mr. G. B. Gerberich became the superintendent of the Greenville public schools. The school enrollment increased and a variety of courses were added to the curriculum. In 1915, the Hrst domestic science classes were taught, and in 1916, the first boys' and girls' basketball teams were organized. When the Central School was razed in 1916, in order to build a larger high school, one stone, bearing the legend, A, D. 1866 The Union School,', was saved and built into the foundation of the new building. Doctor M. H. Fetzer, then a member of the Board of Education, suggested the name for the new building, Penn High School. On August 22, IQI7, the corner stone of Penn High was laid with due ceremony. In the corner stone were placed: a copy of the Holy Bible, some coins, lists of the Borough Council, Borough and County Officials, and School Directors for 1916-17, a Greenville Church Directoryg copies of the town newspapers, the Greenville Progress, the Advance Argus, and the Evening Record, and also photographs of the old building. ln the spring of 1919, the first commencement exercises were held in the auditorium. It was an ex- tremel hot evenin ,and Su t. Gerberich, in welcoming the audience, assured ever one a warm rece tion Y I 8 H P l , , D U , Y l P to Penn H1 h School. On this occasion, Dr. . Linnwood Eisenber , then resident of Sli er Rock, de- g g P PP Y fl . K2 Lats- . - 2-, as t . 1 21, 5 ,N,,,,,-f-' if . ,. 9 ' Q' . 1 1 as v' J '-4 I 7 . H The Little School House with the pond QA- 'V 415' i i' ,if where children skated, as we picture it .. , 1 P ' from available descriptions. I 'E Artist: Eve Schmidl. - , R ' 5' l V410 'H 2, Q53 ,. 1 342- A A mh- , ' ij? V V 0 .. , ,si V , K S: , 1 9 V, ,H-- ' Exif ' QV -.f,,..,,.' W ' f r ,jf W 'Q 1 , ...S f T. - c c'- f , D . . YH, . , -- -- s ,aft ' 2 ' 41 ' 4 f M f -4 Q. 1...,,k T , 'f' 4:3 p- fmt if, 47 . 1- Q- I f' ' -:- G A gb f i' 1-Q' Cv. 15-9- Win: ' 5 - ' Y

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ln appreciation ot the traditions which have been handed dovvn to us to enrich our school days, We dedicate our PENNERMN to the Alumni ot Penn High. We are proud ot the successes ot the Alurnni vvhich have indirectly brought glory to our school, and We are gratetul tor their unceasing interest in our vveltare, Through the organization ot the Penn l-ligh Alurnni, vve have the opportunity to keep in closer contact with our Alma Mater.

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The Union School, later known as the Central School. The old bell which hung in the tower was moved to the West Side School when the 'kelegantn Central build- ing was torn down, and it still summons the boys and girls of Greenville to school. Iivered the address. ln the fall of I9I9, classes were begun in the new high school. Many people felt the new school was entirely too large for the six hundred seventy-two students and eighteen faculty members, and that at no time in the future would it be filled. However, the enrollment increased, new courses were intro- duced, and text books were changed in order to meet the demand for both vocational and classical learning. Upon Mr. Gerberich's retirement in 1932, Mr. R. D. Welch became superintendent and served until 1938 when Mr. A. Bruce Denniston was elected the head of our schools. Now Penn High has an enrollment of over one thousand students and a faculty of thirty-four teach- ers, under the leadership of our principal, Mr. A. R. Stewart. The auditorium no longer seats the entire student bodyg the crowds that attend the basketball games are so large that our gym can 110C accommodate themg class rooms are so crowded that the double rows of seats built in a few years ago must be supple- mented by chairs occupying all available spaceg and activities are so numerous that the doors of Penn High are open not only in the day time but in the evening as well. Even though some things have changed in the passing years, the spirit that is not seen by an out- sider but is felt only in the hearts of those who belong to Penn High has remained the same. This school spirit has grown out of the traditions which have been promoted by the students of Penn High. Commence- ment is one of the oldest and finest of these traditions. At our commencement, on this twenty-fifth anni- versary of the laying of the corner stone, Dr. Linnwood Eisenberg, who spoke at the Hrst commencement in Penn High, is the speaker. And so We graduate to take our places in the worldg and we hope, through our lives, to bring honor to our Alma Mater. B1B1.10GRAPHY: History of Mercer Counzy. Brown, Runk and Company. Miiiiites of the Greenville School Board. Commencement Program for 1934. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Drf A. Bruce Denniston, Miss Marian Gerberich, Dr. P. McCormick, A. L. Iohnson, Mr. Earl Mille1', Miss Eleanor Iackson, Miss Ruth Gruber, and Miss Esther Brydon. ' l Architeet's drawing of Penn High School. At the time of its construction, Penn High was considered the finest school building in western Pennsylvania.